Did you know IVR and bread can mix? Well, maybe not recipe-wise, but for one restaurant franchise, Angel’s IVR-based solution brought more to the table than a satisfying meal.
A premium convenience restaurant offering breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert and coffee options on its extensive menu, Così has long been putting hearty café-style meals centered around a crackly crust flatbread recipe into the mouths of its customers. Starting as a single restaurant in 1996 and flourishing into 107 company-owned restaurants in 17 states and the District of Columbia, Così’s growth can surely be attributed to its trusted lineup of employees.
Così’s success is largely dependent upon its solid hiring processes, as well as a competitive and extensive benefits package offered to prospective workers. However, with restaurant locations opening regularly across the U.S., it had become rather cumbersome to rely on the manual process of filling out registration forms for healthcare and retirement benefits.
Instead, Così sought a method for automating the benefits enrollment process nationwide and creating a streamlined HR benefits enrollment line, that would eventually cut costs and time associated with the current paper-based enrollments system. Therefore, Così enlisted Angel to develop an IVR system that would enable employees to register for benefits over the phone.
“Part of our promise to employees is the swift activation of their extensive benefits,” said Susan Sterling, manager of Compensation and Benefits for Così. “The Angel IVR system allows employees to obtain their benefits quickly and accurately, and without the need to access a member of the HR team.”
Through the implementation of Angel’s IVR-based benefits enrollment line, enrollment activation time has been reduced, costs associated with travel and HR personnel resources has been cut. Employees have also gained automated benefits information that is easily accessible. And, they don’t have to feel guilty filling out all that paperwork, as the previous paper-based process has been eliminated.
“Angel has helped us save a ton of time, travel, and resources with this solution,” said Sterling. “Our ability to offer new employees at each location the opportunity to sign up for benefits with ease assists our growth.”
Tammy Wolf is a TMCnet web editor. She covers a wide range of topics, including IP communications and information technology. To read more of her articles, please visit her columnist page.
Edited by Jennifer Russell